Organisation profile

Sustainability has many facets. Inter- and transdisciplinary research and teaching characterize the School of Sustainability. Scientists in our research projects work together in the laboratory, on the heath, in the grassland, in the classroom, with the city administration, with farmers, with non-governmental organizations, with companies, with students in the lecture hall and of course at their desks.

Furthermore, we work with regional and national political actors, e.g. ministries, as well as international organizations, e.g. UNEP, UNESCO, EU. We are part of national and international bodies, e.g. sustainability advisory boards of companies, member of the German Sustainability Award, World Biodiversity Council (IPBES), in order to contribute to social change with scientific findings.

Main research areas

Vision
Sustainability science investigates on a theoretical, conceptual and empirical level how to promote sustainable development and how to find and implement effective solutions for current social and ecological challenges. The aim is to create a more sustainable future.

Sustainability researchers are called upon to take responsibility for their research, which is anchored in existing scientific knowledge and methods and serves to make the world a better place for everyone.

Mission
We promote change towards a sustainable future by developing theories, concepts and practices of inclusive education for sustainability, research, governance and management.

We acknowledge the diversity and dynamics of values, norms and behaviour and contribute with transdisciplinary methods to ensuring that tensions and differences between different disciplines, methods, topics and standards are fruitfully taken up and used with productive compromises and further developments towards sustainable development.

Principles
The School of Sustainability is guided by the normative concepts of ecological system integrity and social and economic justice.

Ecological system integrity refers to the safeguarding of life-support systems, as well as the maintenance of the well-being of life on Earth.

With social and economic justice we strive for a world in which all people can fulfil their potential without endangering system integrity and the well-being of others.

Information about the School
The School of Sustainability includes...
... ca. 25 professors
... ca. 100 research assistants
... ca. 1000 students in Bachelor and Master courses

In various inter- and transdisciplinary projects we are constantly researching and working together on changes and solutions for current challenges.

  1. Published

    Biodegradable green composites: It's never too late to mend

    Rafiee, K., Schritt, H., Pleissner, D., Kaur, G. & Brar, S. K., 01.08.2021, In: Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry. 30, 100482.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  2. Published

    Lernstörungen erkennen und begegnen: Zur diagnostik, psychoedukation und förderung lernschwacher kinder

    Schuchardt, K. & Von Salisch, M., 08.2021, In: Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie. 70, 4, p. 277-280 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  3. Published

    Description of the first instar larvae of three species of Meloe with a key to the triungulins of Central European species of this genus (Coleoptera : Meloidae)

    Lückmann, J. & Scharf, S., 25.06.2004, In: European Journal of Entomology. 101, 2, p. 313-322 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Social actors’ perceptions of wildlife: Insights for the conservation of species in Mediterranean protected areas

    Cortés-Avizanda, A., Pereira, H. M., McKee, E., Ceballos, O. & Martín-López, B., 01.04.2022, In: Ambio. 51, 4, p. 990-1000 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Limited effectiveness of EU policies to conserve an endangered species in high nature value farmland in Romania

    Loos, J., Gallersdörfer, J., Hartel, T., Dolek, M. & Sutcliffe, L., 10.2021, In: Ecology and Society. 26, 3, 11 p., 3.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Naturwissenschaftliche Kompetenzen und Inklusion – Inklusion durch Kompetenzorientierung?

    Abels, S., 24.07.2020, Naturwissenschaftliche Kompetenzen in der Gesellschaft von morgen. : Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik, Jahrestagung in Wien 2019. Habig, S. (ed.). Essen: Universität Duisburg-Essen, p. 20-29 10 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsTransfer

  7. Published

    Interactions between species richness, herbivory and precipitation affect standing biomass in Mongolian rangelands

    Ahlborn, J., Wesche, K., Lang, B., Oyunbileg, M., Oyuntsetseg, B., Römermann, C., French Collier, N. & von Wehrden, H., 01.04.2021, In: Applied Vegetation Science. 24, 2, 12 p., e12581.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Heterotrophic cultivation of Galdieria sulphuraria under non-sterile conditions in digestate and hydrolyzed straw

    Pleissner, D., Lindner, A. V. & Händel, N., 01.10.2021, In: Bioresource Technology. 337, 8 p., 125477.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Tree species richness promotes an early increase of stand structural complexity in young subtropical plantations

    Perles-Garcia, M. D., Kunz, M., Fichtner, A., Härdtle, W. & von Oheimb, G., 10.2021, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 58, 10, p. 2305-2314 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Sustainable consumption communication: A review of an emerging field of research

    Fischer, D., Reinermann, J. L., Guillen Mandujano, G., DesRoches, C. T., Diddi, S. & Vergragt, P. J., 01.06.2021, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 300, 14 p., 126880.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch